Container opener



Aug. 17, 1937. W. WEG-NER 2,090,0854

CONTAINER OPENEN Filed March 25, 1936 g INVENTDE .w 5 r BY trucs cf7@ 4- a -1 25734 a y f J *TTURNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,090,085 CONTAINER OPENER William Wegner, Geneva, N. Y. V Application Much z5, 193s, serial No. 70,828

z claims. (ci. 164-119) This invention relates to a device for opening containers and pertains more particularly to a cutter punch opener adapted to produce a pouring opening in the wall of a. container having a marginal bead or projecting rim or flange.

Insoiar as applicant is aware, container openers of the above mentioned type have been heretofore constructed relatively large in size and of more or less irregular shapeand contour so that they are not readily adapted to be carried about on the person.

The main object oi this invention is to provide a device for producing a pouring opening in a Wall of a container which is adapted to be carried about in a garment pocket, on a key ring, or

the like, so as to be readily accessible whenever and wherever an occasion to use the same may arise.

In carrying out the above mentioned object, I have provided a novel container opener formed from a one-piece metal plate and which comprises a cutting or punching element and means associated with said element adapted to engage a projection of a container such as an end seam,

as a fulcrum or pivot point to be rocked thereabout to bring the cutting or punching element into operative engagement with an ladjacent portion of the container wall for forming a pouring opening therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to produce an opener of the above mentioned class wherein the punch or cutter element is so arranged relative to adjacent portions oi' the plate that said element will be prevented thereby from readily cutting or penetrating the wall of the pocket or other container or case therefor and thus eliminate the necessity of special shielding or casev means for the cutter.

A further object of the invention resides in producing a relatively small compact container opener of the lever operating type having a punching or cutting element for producing a pouring opening in a tin can or the like, and a crown cap removing element for opening bottles together with handles therefor so arranged relative to each other and to said handles that neither' of said elements will interfere with the operation of the other element whichever of said elements is being utilized.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the construction of my novel opener and to the method of operating the same will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of container opener embodying the various features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a `side elevation of the upper end of a container and of the opener shown in Figure 1 with a portion of the container broken away and in section and illustrating the operation of the opener during the initial movement thereof for producing a pouring opening in an end wall of the container.

Figure `3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the opener in the finished cutting position.

Figure 4 is a top plan of the container shown in Figure 3 withrthe opener removed and showing an opening produced by the opener of the present invention during a single operation thereof.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end view of a container illustrating a second form of `a. pouring opening which may also beproduced with my opener.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane of the line 6 6, Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation ofthe cutting or punch end portion of an opener 'illustrating a modified form of the device shown in Figure 1. n

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8, Figure '1.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 'I illustrating a still further modified form of myfinvention. Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on line I0-II, Figure 9.

The container opener, as illustrated in the drawing, is preferably formed from a single plate I, composed of a at, relatively thin piece of tool steel or other suitable material. The plate I is of substantially rectangular configuration and cross section and of a thickness and width which insures sufilcient strength and rigidity without excessive weight and size.

'Ihe length of plate I is substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of an adult persons hand so as to be readily carried in a pocket of a` vist or other garment. One end of the plate as 2 may be provided with an aperturel' whereby the normal outline or plane of the plate whereby the apex or cutting point. will be prevented, when carried in a garment pocket, from penetrating the wall of the, pocket by the contact of end 5 6 and edge 4 with said wall.

Plate I is provided with a rim receiving recess 1 arranged a short distance from edge 4 and spaced inwardly from the cutter 3. 'I'he recess I has the upper or inner wall 6 thereof formed as l0 a continuation of the inner tapered edge 9 of cutter 3. 'Ihe lower'or outer wall of the recess 1 terminates in spaced relation to the upper wall 6, as shown, to form a mouth 'I' for recess 1 adapted to receive an outwardly projecting bead or rim of a container therethrough and to provide a hook or lug I0 adapted to operatively engage the bead or rim.

The longitudinal edge II of plate Iy opposite edge 4 is cut away at the end of said plate adjacent the aperture 2' to form a recess I2 which has the lower or inner wall I3 thereof extending longitudinally of the plate toward the adjacent end 2 thereof and outwardly toward the edge II and merges into a rounded bearing portion I4 formed at the junction of edge 'Il and adjacent end oi the plate.

'I'he upper or outer wall of the recess I2 is curved toward the end 2 and then extends outwardly to edge II to form a hook or lug I5 adapted foiengagement with the edge of a conventional crown cork bottle cap so as to cooperate with the rounded portion I4 for removing the cap in the well known manner. The forward tapered edge I'I and the rear tapered edge 9 of the cutter or punch 3, together with the upper or inner edge 8 of aperture I and end 6 of plate I, are all preferably formed substantially normal to the adja-A cent sides of the plate to form respective cutting edges for severing the wall of the container in the manner presently described. Ihe remaining edges of plate I are preferably rounded so' that the instrument may be safely handled without danger of injury to the user.

In'the structure shown in Figures 1, y2 and 3, Ithe cutter or punch 3 has opposite side walls I8 thereof tapered inwardly from a positionremote to the apex 5 thereof to said apex, as illustrated in Figure 6 so that saidapex forms a sharp cutting point for piercing the wall of the. container during the initial movement of the opener. In the structure shown in Figures land 8, the plate I is constructed in the same manner as shown in Figure 1 with the exception that the cutter or c punch as 3 has one 'side wall thereof arranged '55 substantially ush with the corresponding side of the plate, while the opposite side I6' is tapered from va position on the plate remote to the apex 5 to said apex to form a sharp cutting point.

The structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 illustrates a further modicationwherein the cutter 3" has eachside thereof arranged-substantially ilush with the corresponding side of the plate so as to provide a relatively. broad cutting point 5" at the apex of the cutter. v

In ordertov illustrate one application of my opener, I have shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 a well known type of container usually composed of tin which may be opened by means of the opener. This container comprises a cylindrical body 20 70 provided with ends 2|, one of which is shown in the drawing. Ends 2I may be secured to the body 20 in any suitable manner as by seam 22 to provide a fluid-tight receptacle and which seam provides an outwardly projecting bead or rim at the 75 corresponding end of the container.

To open the container, the end portion of plate I opposite cutter 3 is grasped by the hand so that the plate is held edgewise with edge 4 positioned at the lower side of the plate. The plate is then moved to engage rim 22 in recess 1 with the cutting point 5 contacting with the adjacent wall as 2| of the container, and to engage hook or lug I0 with the lower portion of rim 22. The plate is then rocked about the rim as a fulcrum to move the end 2 upwardly while end 6 is moved downwardly in an arcuate direction. The downward movement of end 6 causes the cutting point 5 to first penetrate the wall of the container and then, as the rocking movement of the plate is continued, the container wall 2I is cut in oppoysite directions, first by the tapered edges 9 and I1 of cutter 3 and then by edges 6 and 6to cut portions 24 and 25 from the container wall, as shown, and which are rdeflected downwardly or inwardly.

As end 6 of the plate passes beyond wall 2| of the container, the continued rocking movement of the plate causes the same to press theouter severed portion 25 of the wall downwardly against the adjacent portion of the body 20 of the container as shown in Figure 3. It will be noted by referring to Figure 4, that this cutting or punching operation produces a relatively narrow substantially rectangular opening 26 in the wall of the container. This opening extends from in close proximity to the rim 22 radially inwardly through which the contents of the container may be poured.

If, however, it is desired to form a pouring opening of greater capacity than that afforded by ropening V26, such an opening may be readily formed after the formation of opening 26 by cutting afsecond opening in the container wall at an angle to the iirst opening along the broken line 21 by the manipulation of the opener in the same manner as described above for forming opening 26. In the construction of the second mentioned opening, the opener is applied to the container in such a manner that the end 6 of the opener will pass into the opening 26 at the inner end thereof so as to form a substantially triangular shaped opening, as illustrated at 28 in Figure 5.

It will now be noted that a pouring opening 26 may be produced which has a width corresponding to the width of the plate I and a length determined by the distance from the rim receiving recess 1 to the end 6 adjacent edge II by a single arcuate rocking movement of the opener. Also, if a pouring opening as 28, of greater capacity than that afforded by opening 26 is desired, such a pouring opening may readily be provided by a second application of the opener in the manner previously described.

It will -thus be seen that although my novel container opener is of such a relatively small size as to readily adapt it tobe carried in a garment pocket or on a key ring, the same is readily applicable for producing pouring openings oi' various sizes with very little effort on the operators part. Furthermore, it will be observed that inasmuch as the cork receiving recess I2 and the cutter 3 are arranged at opposite ends of plate I and' at a respective side edge thereof, the side edge portions as 4 and II are each adapted to form a convenient handle or support when the tool at the opposite edge is being used without the necessity ot providing an opener of such a length and width as to render the same impractical to be carried in a garment pocket.

Although the construction and operation of my container opener are particularly simple, practical and efficient, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown, as itais evident that various changes may be made in the detail construction thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for producing a pouring opening in the wall of a container having a projecting flange comprising a relatively thin, substantially straight, fiat metal plate, said plate having one longitudinal edge thereof cut away to form a V-shaped cutter adjacent one end thereof and a flangeengaging means arranged in inwardly spaced relation to said end of the plate, the opposite end of said plate being extended beyond the flangeengaging means to form a handle, said flange engaging means including a recess adapted to receive the container flange therein and a lug adjacent the recess adapted to engage said flange to serve as a fulcrum for the cutter, said cutter being arranged in alignment with said side edge of the plate withthe apex thereof positioned intermediate said end and the flange-engaging means, the forward Ysides of the cutter being tapered inwardly in dii/erging planes from the apex thereof to the adjacent end of the plate and to said recess respectively to form sharp cutting edges extending along opposite sides of the plate from the apex of the cutter to said end and recess respectively, whereby aligned spaced portions of the container will be progressively severed upon the plate being rocked about said fulcrum from the apex of the cutter in opposite directions.

2. A device for producing a pouring opening in the wall of a container having a projecting flange comprising a relatively thin, substantially straight, flat 'metal plate, said plate having one longitudinal edge thereof cut away to form a V- shaped cutter adjacent one end thereof and a flange-engaging means arranged in inwardly spaced relation to said endof a plate, the opposite end of said plate being extended beyond the flange-engaging means to form a handle, said flange-engaging means including a recess adapted to receive the container. flange therein and a lug adjacent the recess adapted to engage said flange to serve as a fulcrum for the cutter, said cutter being arranged in alignment with said side edge of the plate with the apex thereof positioned intermediate said end and the flange-engaging means, the forward sides of the cutter being tapered inwardly in diverging planes from the apex thereof to the adjacent end of the plate and to saidv recess respectively to form sharp cutting edges extending along opposite sides of the plate from the apex of the cutter to said end and recess respectively, whereby aligned spaced portions ofthe container will be progressively severed upon the plate being rocked about said fulcrum from the apex of the cutter in opposite directions, said cutter having at least one side tapered inwardly toward the apex thereof to form a sharp cutting point at said apex.

WILLIAM WEGNER. 

